PITTSBURGH – A Pittsburgh man is suing the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh over allegations that he was sexually abused as a child several decades ago.
Michael Anthony Smith filed a complaint Aug. 16 in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh and Holy Family Institute alleging civil conspiracy, fraud and other counts.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff was a minor ward of the state in 1970s and lived at the Holy Family Institute in Pittsburgh. The plaintiff alleges he was made to carry out sexual acts for individuals who were in the service of the defendants.
The plaintiff alleges the defendants conspired to conceal their knowledge of a history of sexual misconduct and systematically concealed the danger of child predator clerics.
The plaintiff is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. The plaintiff is represented by David P. Matthews of Matthews & Associates in Houston and by Tim K. Goss of Freese & Goss in Dallas.